Amazing CryEngine / Level Editor / Tech Demo

(Ao1SYS) #1

I apologize for this being so off the topic but I am very curious to see what you mapping gods think of this new CryEngine technology. It won’t be available till fall but it really blows my mind.

AT: Out of all the FPS titles we’ve witnessed at the E3 this year, we found Far Cry to be one of the most visually impressive. Clearly, your development team has done a terrific job with the CryENGINE. The light work in indoor sections and the draw distance in outdoor sections both look excellent. Tell us more about the features you were able to incorporate thanks to the CryENGINE.

CN: Thanks! We have worked very hard on the visuals, and a couple of key CryENGINE technologies have really helped us push the envelope, including PolyBump, Dot3 Light mapping, and a complete material system that allows us to seamlessly integrate sound, particles, decals, physical properties, and texture in a single material system that can be applied to anything, from the characters to the trees and rocks.

But what has made the most difference, of course, is the CryENGINE ® Sandboxâ„¢ - an editor and level building tool the designers have used to make all the levels in the game. Because it has a “What you see is what you play” editor, we can immediately play what we are building, as we are building it. Our design process includes play testing each part of the game over and over as it is actually created in the editor, rebuilding everything as many times as necessary to make it cool. Before anything even gets to actual testing, the designers have already played it over and over again, so we can be sure that it looks and plays well.

From my reading on this forum the map making for ET seems to be an insanely complex process. The demo just makes it look so insanely simple. Anyway thats what made me think you guys might be interested in this.

Hell, from watching the tech demo, it seems like something even I could do, though I’m sure there is way more to it than meets the eye…

Just curious what you guys think of this, check it out if you are so inclined and let us know.

The editor specific stuff is near the end of the video…
And yes, it does have a multi-player component.

Tech Demo Download: http://www.gamershell.com/download_1523.shtml?q="Far+Cry"
Screenshot Gallery: http://www.gamershell.com/hellzone_FPS_Far_Cry.shtml
And last, here is the article the quote came from: http://www.actiontrip.com/previews/farcry_i.phtml

(twiFight) #2

I don’t know much about level editing, but what I have seen of this engine is absolutely incredible. And if it really is a “what you see is what you get” editor then even I might take my chance with it. Unfortunately, ET level editing seems far too complex for me - nothing at the expense of ET, I love the game - so I won’t take a shot at ET I think…

I am also curious about what other people think of this engine. Afterall a perfect map is the goal, the game for which you design it only the road to that goal (imo atleast)

(ziege) #3

I’ve never played the engine you talk of so have no idea how good it is. What I’ve read is just normal hype. Best looking and smoothest engine I’ve played is probably CloakNT (Chaser), but it has some bugs and isn’t as solid as Quake3’s. Half Life 2 will be interesting too, I was stunned by the E3 demo’s but after seeing the recent demo’s I’ve been pretty disappointed. We’ll see.

How can you find ET mapping hard? I’d guess that more advanced engines in future will be even more complicated, and it won’t be worth waiting for those hoping it will be easier.

(jah) #4

just wait untill RtCW3 with doom3 engine (q4 engine?)… eheh :drink: :banana:

:moo:

(redfella) #5

Personally I find it difficult to trust the hype describing the capabilities and qualities of an engine being developed by people I have no familiarity with. Say if all this stuff was said in regard to the D3 engine, then I could shallow the hype a little bit easier… but when its said about a no-name group of people there is always a doubt.

Then again, it could always arrive and become the best, most moded, versitile engine known to date… but the chances of that happening imo are slim… (espicially with id software still being around).

:smiley:

(damocles) #6

Personally I find it difficult to trust the hype describing the capabilities and qualities of an engine being developed by people I have no familiarity with. Say if all this stuff was said in regard to the D3 engine, then I could shallow the hype a little bit easier… but when its said about a no-name group of people there is always a doubt.

And that attitude is prevelant amongst a lot of publishers these days, which is why the games industry is stagnating and all the smaller, innovative companies are dying on their asses. It’s the fact that people don’t trust anyone they don’t know that is slowly killing the industry. Everyone wants big names, big licenses. A prime example being Enter the Matrix. The game is selling bucketloads, despite being a pile of rubbish. All because of the name…

As players, we should be supporting smaller/new development teams before all that is left is the big players. Once there are nothing but big players left in the industry, it will only be a matter of time before the industry disappears up it’s own backside.
</rant>

(opus) #7

hear, hear! :smiley:

(freekill) #8

Well i just watched the demo and almost fell over
that it unbelievable
i think im gonna have upgrade my comp and buy that when it comes out
omg omg omg
fantastic effects too
yeesh
i remember playing pong and missle command

(Dawnrazor) #9

The engine/editor really seems to be fantastic.
But IMHO (didn’t follow your links, but htink I already have seen the stuff) they’ve only shown terrain editing, wich seems to work very well.
But if you want something different than island/wilderness style maps, you will also have to construct the stuff like in ET.
OK, you won’t need to compile the map, but the process of building the things will not be so different (probably more complex if you want to make use of all the advanced featurers like bumpmapping stuff, etc…)

This realtime editing stuff will help map designers, no doubt.
But you still need the same skills to make a decent, well balanced and finally good looking map.
It’s like a wordprocessor, it makes writing easier, but it doesn’t turn you into a good author automagically…

It’s a very promising title and I can’t wait to play it (single and MP), the guys there have done an excellent job so far!
(Just think of all the mods that will be possible for such an advanced engine…)
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

(wudan) #10

'sup Opus?

folks, hype is impossible to beleive.

(redfella) #11

Well, I didn’t intend to imply that I dont support small, no-name game companies… In fact, its quite the opposite. I support small game companies and have quite a hate passion towards the big corporate like players (ie, gamespy and ea)… I also hate any game company that is trying to monopolize the industry.

Do I think id has every tried to monopolize the market? …No. Do I think that id has made some of the biggest, most revolutionary game engines in the history of video games? Yes. -Its simply a matter of a proven-track record that id kicks ass… I don’t have to worry (or havent to date) about id delivering.

I dont trust hype for its usually just a alotta talk.

(ziege) #12

Where’s the shadows? The ppl and vehicles look like they’re floating.

Also the smoke is very 90’s. Real smoke doesn’t travel in straight lines from the floor upwards.

The foliage looks nice, and the size of everything. But they’re hardly likely to highlight what they engine can’t do, and any bugs and problems running it may have, we’ll have to wait and see for that. The map they show is very nice but if that’s the only type of landscape it can do then those jungle levels will get old quick.

(metalheadFX) #13

Looks alot like Flashpoint meets Mystic :slight_smile: Awsome screen shots. well have to check this one out when it comes out, But I am still waiting on RTCW and DOOM on the new Engine. we will see :smiley:

Ohhh No It is published By UBI — Hold the horses -----

I have been a Rainbow six fan since the original, But UBI has killed the new R6 Raven Shield… I just shelled out 50 bucks for it and while it is fun, there are so many bugs that it kills the game and UBI is no where to be found on Support. Go read the forums at raven-shield.com and hear the negative stuff on UBI. I have never seen a R6 game trashed soo bad after all the hard core fans that title has had for so many years.

I have my dought about that game now, anything with UBI soft on it will have lots of hype and just as much bugs